KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the city administration to notify the milk price within two days after the court was informed that all stakeholders agreed to sell milk at Rs94 per litre from April 1.

Headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, a two-judge bench was hearing a set of petitions against and in favour of hike in milk price.

A civil rights campaigner, Mohammad Imran Shehzad had moved the court for reduction of rates of dairy products and formation of a task force to regulate their prices, while the dairy farmers, wholesalers and retailers approached the court for increase in the price of milk.

Justice Abbasi came down hard on the stakeholders when they attempted to justify the increase in the price of the daily use commodity and observed that milk was a basic necessity and the common man was suffering due to hike in the price.

“We could pass directives for Sindh government to subsidise milk to give some sort of relief to the people,” Justice Abbasi remarked.

‘Stakeholders ready to sell commodity at Rs94 per litre’

The court also observed that the entire litigation undertaken by the stakeholders revolved around fixation of milk price for the dairy farmers, wholesalers and retailers and it appeared that no steps whatsoever were taken to ensure the quality of milk supplied in the market.

“We expect that the Karachi commissioner while calling the meeting of above stakeholders may also call some officials concerned either from health department, government of Sindh, or from KMC, who shall provide necessary assistance towards fixing some benchmark for ascertaining the quality of milk whereafter all the stakeholders including dairy farmers, wholesalers and retailers shall be bound to maintain such quality while selling the milk in the market.”

The court directed Karachi Commissioner Ejaz Ahmed to issue notification within two days under the relevant law and ensure that the milk is sold in the market on the fixed price.

Besides, the court ordered that the milk quality should be checked at every level (dairy farms, at wholesalers and retailers).

“In case of any violation, strict action will be taken against delinquent persons,” the court ruled.

The commissioner assured the judges that all possible efforts would be taken to ensure the sale of dairy products at fixed prices.

He, however, decried the shortage of food inspectors, saying that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation did not have required number of food inspectors to check the quality in the market.

The commissioner requested the court that the Karachi mayor may be directed to induct more food inspectors in the department to overcome the issue.

The court directed him to put this proposal before the city mayor and hoped that needful be done at the earliest and in accordance with law.

The commissioner submitted a compliance report along with the copy of minutes of the meeting held on March 27 of all the stakeholders and draft notification of milk price.

Counsel for the parties and all the stakeholders including dairy farmers, wholesalers and retailers submitted that the instant petitions might be disposed of by consent in terms of the settlement reached between all the stakeholders as mentioned in the minutes of the meeting.

Disposing of the petitions, the bench concluded: “Before parting with this order we may clarify that we have not dilated upon the merits of the issue regarding fixation of price of milk, which in our view is a necessary commodity consumed by large number of consumers who are mostly poor and may not feel comfortable with the increase in milk price.

“However, since representatives of consumers’ society have also consented to the proposed price in the meeting held for such purpose we will examine this aspect of the matter in some other case at appropriate time.”

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2018